Five men from east and southeast London have been convicted for the possession of drugs with a street value of £11,750.

Three men were sentenced to over 30 years for the possession and supply of heroin and cocaine after a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court on March 1. The other two are due to be sentenced on March 15.Last August, police stopped one of the men Jacque Michael Skinner, 21 as he was leaving a building in Cable Street. Officers from Tower Hamlets Robbery Task then raided Unit 1, Cable Street where they found four of Skinner’s accomplices.

The address was used as a drugs factory where the group of men cut and mixed Class A drugs before distributing them.

Police found £10,000 in cash as well as cocaine and heroin worth over £11,00 at the address. Officers also discovered a bulletproof vest, a loaded handgun and ammunition.

Detective Sergeant Ross Morrell from the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit at Tower Hamlets said: “The removal of this firearm from the streets of London may well have saved lives”.

Ashley Martin Huggins, 23, of Carr Street and Shayne Wellington, 25, of Mile End Road were found guilty of possession of a loaded firearm, possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property. Both were sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Leon Ziya-Williams, 25, was found guilty of possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property and was sentenced to seven years..

Skinner, 21, and Jerome Michael Quintyne, 23, are awaiting sentencing.

“These sentences send a clear message to those criminals intent on supplying drugs and guns to be used on the streets of London”, said Detective Sergeant Morrell.

“The drugs trade is a violent, dangerous and lucrative business. This result is further evidence of the continued commitment by Tower Hamlets Police to impact upon the supply of drugs and the use of firearms by criminals in London.”